Airline Adds Flight Technology

Published: May 27, 2009

Northern Air Cargo has installed and begun using new technology to improve safety and efficiency. The new Wide Area Augmentation System technology allows NAC aircraft to follow more direct flight paths and increase their ability to land safely in low-visibility conditions. NAC's 737-200s are the first Boeing aircraft nationally to be equipped with the new technology, airline officials said. The technology is an air-navigation aid developed by the Federal Aviation Administration to improve the accuracy and availability of GPS. The new technology is not constrained by extreme Alaska temperatures like other instrument approach systems. Also, the satellite-based system enables the use of navigational routes, which will provide more direct flight paths than current ground-based navigational system - for improved fuel efficiency. Residents of rural Alaska will benefit from NAC's increased rate of successful landings made possible by new lower approach standards.